Golf-club.



A. 0. FOWLER.

GOLF CLUB.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 16. 1909.

Patented May 24, 1910.

I. fi fiai.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT C. FOWLER, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GOLF-CLUB. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1910.

Application filed August 16, 1909. Serial No. 513,065.

' the ball a long distance, such as drivers,

brassies, spoons, cleeks, driving mashies, midirons and the like. i

The object of my invention is the production of a club, which will drive the ball a greater distance and at the same time straight.

In carrying out my invention I rovide a club the shaft of which will be rig1d during most of the forward stroke so as to prevent the shaft from bending backward and the head of the club from lag ing behind the hands of the player before t e ball is struck, thereby preventlng slicing, but which will be springy or whippy at the moment of impact with the ball, so as to drive the ball a reater distance, whereby a straight long flight of the ball can be secured. These results I accomplish by making the shaft of the club oval or flattened in cross section, and arranging the greatest width of the club at an inclination to a vertical plane passing through the center of the shaft and the head, and the least thickness of the shaft at a comparatively small angle to the line of flight to be imparted to the ball.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of golf club made in accordance with my invention Fi re 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2'is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top plan view, the shaft being taken in section on the line 44 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a topplan view, the shaft being in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the osition assumed by the club head and shaft after the start of the back swing and during the forward stroke before the ball" is struck.

The same marks of reference refer to the same parts inthe several views of the drawings.

10 is the head of the club, which may be of any usual form, and is provided with a striking face 11.

12 is the shaft and 13 is the handle. The shaft 12 is made oval or elongated in crosssection preferably substantially from its goint of juncture with the head to the hanle 13 (see Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6). The greatest width of the shaft is inclined to a vertical plane passin through the center of the shaft and the hea and the least thickness of the shaft is at a comparatively small angle to the line of flight to be imparted to the ball. Ifa club is provided with a round whippy shaft so a's'to drive the ball a great distance, the club will slice by reason of the bending backward of the shaft in the forward stroke, making the club head lag behind the hands of the player. i

In Fig. ,5 the direction of the greatest width of the shaft is indicated by the dotted line a, and the vertical plane passing through the center of the shaft and the head, by the dotted line b. As shown in the drawings, these lines are inclined at an angle preferably of about 25 degrees. to each other. This angle, however, may be varied to suit the peculiarities of different players. The face 11 of the club is also preferably slightly inclined to the plane indicated by the line b, and such inclination is in the opposite direction to the inclination of the greatest width of the shaft, as is indicated by the dotted line 0 in Fig. 5. As soon as the rearward stroke is begun, the wrists turn naturally so as to throw the head of the club backward, as indicated in Fig. 6. In my invention it will be seen that the greatest width of the shaft is thus brought in the direction of the stroke except when the club head is near the ball, so that the greatest rigidity of the shaft is maintained during the forward stroke until just before the ball is struck. The shaft is therefore kept from bending backward and the club head is thus prevented from lagging behihd the handle, or such bending of the shaft and lagging of .the club head is reduced to a be driven a greater distance and at the same time slicing will be obviated. The slight inclination of the face 11 in the reverse direction to a vertical plane passing through the shaft and the head of the club overcomes the tendency of this club to driveastraight ball slightly to the right.

With a club constructed as above, I may use even a smaller cross sectional area of shaft than is customary and make the shaft 'IIJOIG Whippy than usual Without slicing,

thereby getting a longer straight ball.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a golf club, the combination with the head, of a shaft oval in cross section,

and having its greatest Width in a plane inclined to a vertical plane passing through the center of the shaft and head.

2. In a golf club, the combination ith the head, of a shaft oval in cross section, and having its greatest Width in a plane inclined to a vertical plane passing through the enter of the shaft and head, the striking face of the club being also inclined to said vertical plane.

3. In a golf club, the combination With the head, of a shaft oval in cross section, and having its greatest Width in a plane inclined to a vertical plane passing through the center of the shaft and the head, the striking face of the club being oppositely inclined to said vertical plane.

4. In a golf club, the combination With the head, of a shaft oval in cross section substantially from the head to the handle and having its greatest Width in a plane inclined to a vertical plane passing through the center of the shaft and the head.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT o. FOWLER. a 8.

Witnesses ALRoY S. PHILLIPS, ELIZABETH BAILEY. 

